Middleboro boy named Jimmy Fund Walk Hero

Dylan Berio’s fight with cancer has become an inspiration for others as teams bike and walk in his honor.

Katherine Finnell

Dylan Berio is having a busy summer.

In June, the 4-year-old visited Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

This past weekend, he was a pedal partner in the Pan-Mass Challenge.

Next month, he’ll be a hero in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk with three other local kids being treated for cancer at Dana-Farber: Michael Shaw, 9, of Brockton, Kevin McKenna, 17, of Hanson and Kelley Rouse, 13, of Holbrook.

Dylan’s fight with cancer has become an inspiration for others as teams bike and walk in his honor as they raise money for research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

“He’s excited,” said Dylan’s mother, Dawn Berio, of his honors. But even with the excitement of a busy summer, Dawn said the family from Middleboro takes one day at a time.

Dylan was diagnosed with three separate brain tumors in June 2011. He had two surgeries during which doctors successfully dissected 90 percent of one tumor. He is currently undergoing a second round of chemotherapy at Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund Clinic in Boston on Mondays.

Dylan underwent an MRI on July 16. His mother said there was no sign the tumors had changed – neither grown nor shrunk – since the last time.

Dylan also goes to physical therapy to treat tremors in his right arm. Dawn said he has improved so much he will be continuing the therapy at home.

On July 20, Dylan met Debra LaFrankie, captain of Team Neuro – the Jimmy Fund Walk team that Dylan was matched with – at a Hero Match party at Fenway Park.

“He’s adorable,” LaFrankie said. “You wouldn’t know looking at this beautiful boy that he was facing such challenges.”

Team Neuro is made up of Dana-Farber staff who treat adults with brain tumors, as well as current and former brain tumor patients and their families.

During the past eight years, Team Neuro has raised more than $650,000 toward brain tumor research.

For LaFrankie, walking in honor of someone being treated for brain tumors is inspirational. She said the team will be carrying Dylan’s picture, as well as the picture of another brain tumor patient – Alexa – who was matched to the team.

Ann Beach, director of the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, said considerable thought is put into matching patients with teams. Walk Heroes like Dylan create a connection for teams, she said.

“Portraits (of patients) don each mile marker to put a face on why it’s important to raise money for Dana-Farber research,” Beach said.

The Jimmy Fund Walk will be held on Sunday, Sept. 9. It follows the same 26.2 mile route as the Boston Marathon.

Nine thousand participants are expected to walk this year and walk officials hope to raise $7.5 million.

Donations to Team Neuro can be made on the web at www.jimmyfundwalk.org